April 14, 1863. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



279 



Some friends and unknown correspondents have thought proper 

 to call in question the heading of these sketches, " A Few Days 

 in Ireland." But they are quite correct and consistent, as may 

 be judged from this single day's work. We left Dublin early and 

 spent the morning at Hamwood, the forenoon at Carton, the after- 

 noon at Straffan, and the evening at Lyons. No such amount 

 of work could have been gone through but for the kindness of 

 Mr. Robertson, of Mary Street, Dublin, who not only planned 



the routes, but prepared for us in almost every case a moEt 

 warm and friendly reception. With all that, however, we were 

 tired enough on getting to Dublin ; nor is it to be wondered at, 

 that, in our snug room at the Terdun, very sound sleep was pre- 

 vented by visions of columns and towers, Italian gardens, halls 

 of shells, endless lakes, and the blowing-up of forcing-houses by 

 gigantic limekilns. R- Fish. 



FLOWEE-GAEDEN PLAJST. 



M 



K 



4, 



DESCBIMION OF BIDS. 



1, 1, Tom Thoir.b Geraniums. 



2, 2, Madame Vancher. 



3, 3, 3, 3, Purple King Verbena, edged -with Yellow Calceolaria. 



The following remarks are relative to a flower-garden plan 

 sent us by S. E. L. 



We admire your arrangement chiefly for its great elegance 

 and simplicity, and heartily wish the mere strivers for variety 

 would take a lesson out of your book. There is only one fault 

 we notice, and that is your large basket of Roses in the centre. 

 It will dull your whole figure in the autumn. Just think of the 

 effect of a ringed bed, or one of Alma with a lilac border. All y ou 

 can do now iB to have a good border round the Roses, and plant 

 a few things among them. For the 3-beds you will, of course, 

 use a low Calceolaria. In the long eight beds, perhaps, accord- 

 ing to your arrangements of Mangles', Christine, and Lobelia, 



4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, II, To be planted nbbon fashion in tbree rows :— 

 1st row, Mangles' Variegated; 2nd, Christine; 3rd. blue Lobelia. 

 12, 12, 12, 12, scarlet Verbena Foxbunter. 



it would be as well to have Christine in the middle, because 

 Mangles' will pin down so nicely to suit the Lobelia. All these 

 eight beds will be relieved by the planting of the 3's and the 

 blaze in 12's ; and we should like to see the whole in perfection, 

 to be, if possible, more convinced that a few colours well managed 

 will do wonderB. Leaving 4, 5, 8, 9, as above, you might for 

 variety have a little difference in 6, 7, 10, 11 — such as Tom 

 Thumb or Boule de Feu, centre ; Christine, middle, or Flower 

 of the Day ; and Lobelia Paxtoniana, or Verbena pulchella, or 

 Charlwoodii for outside. We notice this, however, merely for 

 variety, convinced that your plan of having all the eight beds 

 alike will look quite as well. 



